How to Build a PC: Step by Step Beginner's Guide

Chosen the ultimate list of parts and ready to assemble your new gaming beast? Let's get down and dirty and learn how to build a PC in precise step by step detail written in plain English and without any fancy tech speak so you won't get stuck or confused as a complete beginner and first-time PC builder.

Once you're done you'll feel a sense of pride and satisfaction every time you boot up your new system because you're the master who gave it life, but more importantly 'cause you know it's money well-spent and fine-tuned for your exact gaming preferences, and you're in full control of how to upgrade and extend its lifespan, how it works, how silent it is, what performance you'll get, etc.

Building your very first PC is always a load of fun, so take your time as there's no rush but don't stress about making a mistake as it's very hard to go wrong if you simply follow the proven steps below that's been used by thousands of first-time builders in 2017 and 2018.

Let's get your quest towards the best PC gaming experience underway. Enjoy and good luck!

How to Build a PC (PART #1)

What You Need to Build a PC & Safety Precautions for Beginners

Before proceeding with this guide on assembling your PC parts step by step, you'll need to make sure you have the following things so you can finish your build in one go:

Also, before starting to build your gaming PC, check that all your components came with everything listed on the box or manual. It’s rare, but manufacturers do forget things. Nothing more frustrating than being half-way through a build and then realizing something is missing.

Speaking of manuals, keep them handy for the installation process as you still might need to refer to them even with this guide at your side. Important ones are the motherboard and case manuals, and if you didn’t get those two, make sure to download them from the manufacturers website if you can.

A compatible parts-list that contains all the required gaming PC parts for a functional PC (motherboard, cpu, RAM, graphics, storage, power supply, case)

Peripherals required for a functional PC (keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers/headset, router if playing online but wired is ideal)

Operating system software such as Windows 10, 7 or Linux (we recommend Win 10 for DirectX support now and into the future)

A Phillips-head screwdriver is the only tool you 100% need to build a PC (see our guide to PC building tools to learn more about tools)

2-6 hours for your first PC build (don't rush it and take your time to avoid mistakes)

A big enough, stable, non-conductive surface/table/desk

The PC Build We'll Be Demonstrating in This Guide

This tutorial on how to build a PC step by step applies to gaming computer builds of all budgets as the main installation steps to build a PC are very similar for any type of parts-list. In other words, you can follow along with this guide for any type of gaming PC build. Below are the parts we'll be assembling as an example for this walkthrough, which was a build based on one of the recommended budget/mid-range PCs we published in a previous edition of our monthly gaming PC builds. Whether your specs are the same or quite different/more powerful than the parts-list we used above, the steps in this tutorial still apply as they cover how to install all the core PC parts no matter what your budget is.

Motherboard: MSI B250M PRO-VD

CPU: Intel Pentium G4560

RAM: Crucial 8GB DDR4 2400 Mhz

GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB OC Edition

Hard Drive: Western Digital 1TB Blue

Case: Cooler Master N200 Mini Tower (mATX)

PSU: Cooler Master GX450 80+ Bronze

Input: Logitech MK120

Monitor: Asus VS228NE 21 Inch

Operating System: Windows 10 Home USB Version

The Cost-Effective Gaming PC Setup We'll Be Assembling for This Tutorial

PC Building Safety Tips for Beginners

First of all, keep your workspace organized as you go along: not trying to sound like mum or dad, but the last thing you want to do is lose little screws, attachments or wiring during installation and have to spend an hour trying to find something you lost.

Always handle components with care and by their edges when possible. Don’t touch any electrical bits. Keep them in their anti-static bags until they’re needed.

If you’re not wearing an anti-static wrist strap to avoid static electricity from damaging you or your component, it’s very important that you regularly ground yourself (every time before you touch a component) by touching a metal object such as the metal part of your case for a second or two.

Hardware and other parts can be fragile so don’t force anything too hard, including when connecting cables, unless otherwise specified that you should give a lot of force (we'll let you know if any certain parts require more force than usual to install). If you install things the right way then it shouldn’t require a lot of force. Exceptions to this are Molex power connections which need a good push.

Don’t overtighten screws as this could damage components. Screw things in nice and tight, but be careful not to go too tight. Lastly, always make sure the power is disconnected from your PC when working on it, and never try to open or disassemble your power supply (or any parts for that matter).

How to Build a PC (PART #2)

Prepare the Case and Motherboard

Remove Case Side Panels

This computer assembly tutorial assumes you're using a standard case with a common form factor of mid-tower, full-tower, or mini-tower (our build example is a mini-tower). The steps may be slightly different if you're using an unusual form factor such as mini-ITX. Have a skim through your case manual to learn about any specifics for your case.

The first thing to do is remove the side panels on your case. Some cases may only have one removable side panel, but most will have two. In most cases, the left-hand side is the main access side where you install your components, while the right-hand side gives you access to some fixing screws and some space used for cable management. Most cases also have different slots or areas where cables can be pulled through or stored to keep things neat.

We'll cover what you need to know about cable management later, but for now just be aware that keeping your cables neat and organized is important to not only keep your build looking nice and tidy, but to promote better airflow within your case and to avoid dust build-up that messy cabling can create.

So back to the side panels; many modern cases use thumbscrews to hold the side panels in place, meaning you can just use your hands to undo them, however sometimes you'll still need to use your screwdriver to initially loosen them up enough to the point where you can use your hands. Other cases will just have standard screws; either way, remove the screws which should be located at the rear of the case. Once the screws are removed, the side panels should simply slide off:

Move or Remove Unwanted Racks

At this time, depending on your case, you may want to move to remove optical drive rack/s and/or hard drive rack/s that you either won't be using (to increase airflow) or to accommodate larger components such as a big CPU cooler/radiator or custom fan setup. For our example build, we don't have a large aftermarket cooler and we're only installing the 1 HDD for now, so we're going to remove one of the extra hard drive racks that we won't be using to help promote more airflow. We'll remove the bottom rack which you simply have to unscrew from the side and bottom of the case.

Spare drive rack removed. Cause I can.

Install Any Additional Case Fans

The majority of cases will come with at least two fans already pre-installed, with one usually behind the front panel to suck air in and one at the back of the case to release warm air. Most cases will also have support for more fans should you want to buy some to increase airflow further. For our build, the two preinstalled fans are adequate for our needs because this is not an extreme system, but if you have extra fans now you'll want to install them now before you install your motherboard into the case.

To install another fan in the front, you'll probably have to remove the front panel which you may just be able to slide it off with a firm pull or by removing screws or pegs; refer to your case manual if you need to. For our example case, the Cooler Master n200, you simply pull off the front panel by grabbing it from the bottom and pulling it right off. Don't force too hard when removing your front panel though, as some cases will have wiring attached such as for the power switch. You should be able to easily see where any additional fans fit in; if not refer to your case manual on how to install them. You'll simply have to screw them in with the screws supplied by your case.

Prepare the Motherboard

Now we've prepared the case, set it aside but keep it on your work table within easy reach so you can touch it occasionally to ground yourself before handling your components; especially if you're not wearing an anti-static strap. There are now two approaches you can take to continue your installation. You can either install some of your components (CPU, cooler, RAM) onto your motherboard first before installing the motherboard into the case, or you could install the motherboard into the case first and then install your components onto it.

Either can work, and one may be better than the other depending on your components, but we're going to go ahead and do the external build. The advantage to this method is it makes it a little easier to install your CPU, cooler, and RAM with better control and more room to move.

Sit motherboard on box or other non-conductive surface

Before touching your motherboard, if you're not wearing an anti-static strap you should ground yourself by touching a metal surface such as your case or other object such as a kitchen sink (more details about grounding are in the section earlier on safety precautions). Carefully remove your motherboard from its box and remove it from the anti-static bag. You want to handle your motherboard by its edges; try to avoid touching anywhere else. Now place your motherboard on top of the box it came in. Your box is cardboard, a non-conductive surface, which is just what we need:

Do not sit your motherboard on top of the anti-static bag it came in as the outside of the bag may be conductive to static electricity. Sitting it on the box rather than just on your desk also makes it a little less prone to damage, and also makes it more stable and less likely to move around once we get to installing components onto it. Position your motherboard so that the locking lever (the thin, bent metal rod) on the CPU socket is facing towards you, and that's step 1 on building your gaming PC done and dusted. Let's move onto the more interesting bits.

How to Build a PC (PART #3)

How to Install a CPU and CPU Cooler

How to Install Your Processor

Now we're going to fit the CPU onto the motherboard. CPUs are fragile so you're going to want to take your time with this part to make sure you do things correctly. Always handle the CPU with great care, and only ever touch it on the sides. Never touch the contacts on the underside. The steps to install an Intel CPU or an AMD CPU are very similar, but there are a couple little differences. The arrangement of the little contact pins are slightly different; Intel CPUs usually have the contact pins on the motherboard, whereas AMD CPUs tend to have the contact pins on the CPU itself.

When installing an Intel CPU, you simply (carefully) drop it in flat into the motherboard. With AMD you typically have to first hook the edge of the CPU under the lip on the motherboard's CPU socket, and then you lay it down flat. Only a slight difference, but keep that in mind if you're using an AMD CPU as our example uses Intel. Before removing your CPU from its case, you want to open the locking frame on the CPU socket located on your motherboard by carefully pulling the lever slightly out to the right, and then pulling it back so that the CPU pins on the motherboard are now visible. Keep the plastic cover on the CPU socket for now.

Lift the CPU Socket Lever Carefully

Lift lever to open up the CPU socket

If you look closely you should see a small arrow or icon in the bottom left hand corner of the CPU socket. This arrow shows you which way the CPU fits into the socket, as there will be a matching arrow/icon on the CPU itself.

First of all, ground yourself by touching the metal part of your case or another metal object. Carefully remove the CPU from its case and carefully hold it by its edges. Never touch the delicate underside of the CPU, and try to avoid touching the top of the CPU as well.

Carefully lower the CPU onto the motherboard socket with the metal part facing up, but don't force it at all. All you need to do is gently lower it onto the socket; no force is required and it should naturally sit in place if you've aligned the arrow in the bottom left hand corner to the arrow on the motherboard:

GENTLY lower CPU onto the socket pins

Now remove the plastic cover on the top of the CPU socket, lower the frame down by pulling down the lever, and then carefully but firmly press the lever back into its locking position. Well done, the brains of your new computer is now properly installed.

How to Install a Heatsink & Fan

Now it's time to attach the cooler to the CPU. This process will vary based on the cooler you're using, so refer to your cooler's manual if you bought a third-party/aftermarket cooler as the process for installing them varies from cooler to cooler. For our example build, we'll be installing the stock cooler that came with our CPU because it's adequate for our needs.

1: Applying Thermal Paste

The grey strips in the middle is the pre-applied thermal paste on our stock cooler

Thermal paste, also called thermal grease or thermal compound, is applied to CPUs to eliminate air gaps to maximize heat transfer between the CPU and the cooler. Stock CPU coolers will come with thermal paste already pre-applied on them, so for our example there's no need to buy and apply some more. As you see below, the grey strips in the middle of the underside of our cooler is the thermal paste:

If you're installing a third-party cooler, it may or may not come with paste, and it may or may not come with it pre-applied. What many builders do to squeeze out even better cooling performance is buy a high quality third-party paste such as the Arctic 5 paste which is popular and will usually work slightly better than any paste that comes with a cooler. But again, for our budget build example, the pre-applied paste on the stock cooler is all we need.

If you are applying a third-party paste, what you need to do is squeeze a tiny amount about half the size of a pea (or a little bigger than a grain of rice) onto the middle of the top of your CPU (not onto your cooler). Then, use a clean implement like a credit card (or use your finger by placing it in a plastic bag) to spread the paste out to the edges in an even layer so that the top of your CPU is fully covered in the paste.

2: Fitting the Cooler

Fitting a stock cooler is very simple, but again if you're installing a third-party cooler the process may be a little more involved so you'll want to refer to your specific cooler's manual. Before fitting the cooler onto your motherboard, you'll want to check where the power connector for the cooler is located on the motherboard.

The power connector is a 4 pin connector and should be labelled on your motherboard as “CPU FAN” or something along those lines. On ours it's named “CPU_FAN1”. You'll want to position the cooler so that the power cable can easily reach the power connector.

Making sure you've grounded yourself beforehand, carefully lower your cooler onto the top of your CPU by lining up the four corners with the four holes on the motherboard. To lock it in place you need to push down on each of the four corners until you hear a clicking sound for each.

3: Secure and Connect the Cooler

To check if the cooler is properly locked in, carefully lift the motherboard and check to see whether the four corner of the cooler have all come through on the back of the motherboard. Remember to only touch your motherboard by its edges. Also, try to gently lift the cooler out of its place to see if it's nice and firmly locked in.

It should be tight, and if one of the push pins isn't locked in place properly you won't have an evenly balanced cooler which may lead to undesirable temperatures down the track because the cooler base isn't entirely touching the processor. So take your time to make sure it's installed correctly. If you ever need to remove your cooler, you'll need to twist each of the four corners 90 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction before lifting it out.

Now your cooler is in place, connect the power cable to the matching four pin connector on the motherboard which should be labelled “CPU_FAN1” or something similar as mentioned before.Make sure your cooler's power cables don't lay across the cooler fan. Rotate your cooler fan blades by hand to check if it could come into contact with the power cables. Play around a little with the location of the power cables if it either touches or is super close to the fan blades so that they're out of the way. That's all there is to installing your cooler so let's move on.

CPU Cooler installed and connected

How to Build a PC (PART #4)

How to Install RAM Modules

RAM Installation Step 1: Locate Socket 1

Now it's time to install your memory module/s onto your motherboard which is one of the quicker steps in this tutorial. Like all components, handle them with care (by their edges) and don't ever touch the metal contacts along the bottom of the module.

For our build, we have the one 8GB module, and so we're going to fit it into the first memory socket closest to the CPU which is labelled “DIMMA1” on the motherboard in tiny writing. If you're also just installing the one module, check the labelling on your own motherboard to locate socket 1 (or it may be socket 0 on your motherboard).

A single module will almost always go into the first socket, however it should work no matter which slot you place it in. Refer to your motherboard manual to check which slot you should install into; if it doesn't say in the manual (like on ours) just install your single stick in the socket that's closest to your CPU.

If you're installing multiple modules, it's more important to refer to your manuals to confirm which modules go in which socket. On some motherboards with four or more memory sockets, they will be color coded to highlight the different memory channels which you should match up. For example, if your motherboard has 4 color coded slots, and you have 2 sticks to install, you'll likely have to install them into sockets 1 and 3 (and not 1 and 2).

RAM Installation Step 2: Unlock Socket

Before grabbing your memory, there will be a hinged clip on either end of the memory socket that you'll need to unlock:

Push the little clip at the end of the ram socket down

RAM Installation Step 3: Insert Memory Module

Hold your memory by its edges (touching the top is ok too; just avoid touching the bottom) and place it into the socket st a diagonal angle so that one end of the stick properly slots into the socket first:

Insert RAM into one end of the socket first

There's only one way your memory will fit as there's a hole in the middle of the stick that matches up with the socket. Lower the other end in and push the stick firmly into place by pressing down on the top of the stick.

RAM Installation Step 4: Re-Lock Socket

It might need a firm press, but don't push TOO hard. If it's in place properly you should be able to fairly easily lock the clips on either ends of the socket back into place. Now simply repeat these steps for any other memory sticks you have. That's all there is to it for your memory so let's move on.

How to Build a PC (STEP 5)

How to Install a Motherboard and Front Panel Connections

Fit Motherboard in Case

Give yourself some props because you're making great progress. We're deep in the installation process, and after this next step your computer will start to actually resemble a computer. If you've completed all the previous steps up till now, it's time to fit your motherboard into your case. This involves first fitting the backplate, preparing standoffs, screwing in your board, and then connecting the case controls. Let's get to it!

1: Fit the Backplate

Lay your case down flat on its side if you haven't already done so. Your motherboard will have come with a metal backplate which protects the rear of your motherboard, so go on and grab it.

The case backplate you need to install

There's only one way to insert the backplate into the back of your case, and for most motherboards it's with the mouse and keyboard connections on top and the on-board audio ports on the bottom. Go ahead and fit the backplate into place. It'll have small clips or protrusions around the edges to help it clip into place.

2: Prepare Motherboard Standoffs

Once the backplate is properly aligned, before your motherboard goes in you'll need to ensure that you have all the motherboard standoffs in place. The standoffs, also called risers or spacers, are double-threaded pegs that hold the motherboard in place and off the surface of the case. This is crucial to avoid shorting the motherboard out. Go ahead and locate the standoffs that came with your case. In our build our case has 2 standoffs already pre-fitted, with 4 left to fit.

Motherboard "standoff" screws

Different motherboard sizes will require you to install the standoffs into different holes, so grab your motherboard carefully by its edges (ground yourself first) and lower it in to see which holes on the case match up with the holes on your motherboard. Place your motherboard aside safely for now. To secure the standoffs into the case you'll likely need to use the standoff socket attachment provided by the case which attaches to the top of the standoffs so you can screw them in with your trusty screwdriver:

Go ahead and screw in the standoffs using the socket attachment:

3: Install Motherboard In Case

Now get your motherboard (ground yourself first) and carefully lower it so that the back ports on the motherboard fit into the corresponding ports on the backplate, and that the standoffs on the case fit into the holes on the board.

Carefully lower motherboard into proper place

Look through the back of the case at your motherboard backplate to ensure the ports all line up properly. Once the board is in place, grab the motherboard screws which should be labelled as “M3x5” screws by your case manual and screw them in being careful not to over-tighten them:

Connecting the Front Control Panel

The front panel of your case will have a number of features that will need to be hooked up to your motherboard. Keep in mind that your motherboard may not support all of your case features. Common front panel features include:

Power switch: Pretty self-explanatory; this button switches your PC on or off.

Reset switch: Used when you need to return the PC to a known state if it freezes.

Power light: The light you see illuminated when your PC is turned on.

Hard drive light: Indicates that one or more of your hard drives is active.

Headphone jack: Where you plug in your headphones/headset.

Mic jack: Where you plug in audio recording devices such as microphones.

USB ports: These will come in either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 form, often with different colors to indicate (on our case the 3.0 ports are blue while the 2.0 are black).

1: Locate the Motherboard Ports

Before you do any connecting, you'll want to locate where all the front panel cables plug in on your motherboard. This is where things can be a little confusing, especially for first-timers, because it might not be immediately apparent where all the front panel connections go. Aside from the case fan power connections, which you may have to connect to your PSU as we will (because we can’t plug them both into our motherboard as our board doesn’t support it), most of the front panel cables will connect to the same rough area on the motherboard.

The connections are also typically located along the bottom of the motherboard. By bottom we mean the bottom of your motherboard as if your case were sitting upright; you should still have your case on its side for easier installation.The way the front panel connectors are labelled varies from board to board, so you'll want to consult your motherboard manual to be sure you know exactly where each one goes.

You also have to be aware that some of the connections (the power switch, HDD LED and power LED on our setup and probably the same for you) have both a positive and negative connection to link up to the corresponding positive and negative port on the motherboard. These three (or six counting the + and -) wires will likely need to connect onto the same port on the motherboard (a row of double pins) side by side and without spacing.

Incorrectly installing the front panel connections may lead to damaging the board and/or first boot problems, so don't rush this process. Our motherboard didn't come with a full manual, only a quick installation guide which doesn't cover this part, and so we had to download the manual from the manufacturer's website. You may have to do the same.

2: Thread Cables Through Holes

Before we go ahead and connect the cables, we should get some cable management out of the way. By first knowing exactly where everything plugs in you get a sense of how loose the cables will be once they're plugged in.

When building a PC you want to avoid too much loose cabling if you can to promote better airflow and to keep your build neat and easier to work with. If your front panel wiring will seem very loose once connected, try to thread the cables through any holes available on the back (as in the rear side panel) of your case which will reduce the length of loose cabling that hangs around in the middle of your case area.

Most cases will have these holes on the back side panel which are designed for this exact purpose. Our case has some holes, and so we've threaded the wiring through them as you can see:

Try to keep cables as neat as you can

3: Connect the Cables

Ok, now you've considered cable management, and you're certain of where the front panel cables connect to, it's time to plug them all in. Do this carefully and don't force anything too hard as they should naturally plug in without much effort. The exception being the USB 3.0 connector which is a bigger connector and may need a little extra push to insert correctly, but make sure you've aligned it the right way before adding any force to it so you don't damage anything.

How to Build a PC (STEP #6)

How to Install Storage & Optional Optical Drive

How to Install a HDD

HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) are quite straightforward to install, and with most cases you'll have at least a couple choices of where to install them. Many modern cases will provide a tool-less drive cradle. In our example build, we removed the HDD cradle earlier if you remember to allow for more case space. The main reason for this is because our case is a more compact, mini tower, and our power supply isn’t a modular one meaning that there will be more cables to work with in our case compared to a modular power supply which has less cabling.

We'll be installing our single HDD in the HDD bay at the top of the front of our case, but the installation process is basically the same wherever you install your drives. If you're mounting it in a cradle, you may need to remove a tray from the cradle and fit the HDD onto that before sliding it back in and securing it in place in the cradle.

1: Fit the HDD

Simply slide the hard drive in and align the holes on the side. The drive should only fit in one way with the power and SATA connectors facing the inside of your case.Now screw it in through the lined up holes with the appropriate screws; for our situation it's a couple of thumbscrews provided by the case, but check your case manual if in doubt as to which screws to use as it should label the HDD screws. With thumbscrews you should be able to use your hands to screw them in almost all the way, but sometimes you'll need a screwdriver to tighten them just that little fraction further (not TOO tight though).

2: Connect the SATA Cable

Now your HDD is in place properly, grab a SATA cable that should have come with your motherboard (if not, your hard drive) and connect it to the back of the hard drive and onto a SATA port on your motherboard. You'll want to plug it into the first SATA3 port, which should be labelled as SATA1 or something like that on your motherboard.

If the cable is long enough, you'll want to try to thread the cable through a cable management hole on your case if at all possible. If you need to remove a SATA cable you'll need to push down on the little metal clip on top of the connector to remove it. Your HDD will need a power connector as well, but we'll get to that once we install your power supply later on.

How to Install an SSD

This is an optional step as not all builds will have an SSD (Solid State Drive). We won't be installing one, but if you have one (or more) SSDs to install in your particular setup then it's a very simple process just like installing a HDD above. Most modern cases have specific brackets or cradles for SSDs, otherwise you can fit one into a standard HDD mount using a 3.5” to 2.5” adapter plate which you can buy for cheap (or some SSDs may come with).

With an adapter setup, you screw the SSD to the adapter plate first (don't over tighten them), positioning the drive so that the connections on the drive face into your case. Then slot the adapter and SSD into the mounting bracket and screw it in. Then you'll need to connect the SATA cable from the back of the SDD to a spare SATA port on the motherboard. That's pretty much all there is to installing SSDs besides connecting it to your power supply (in a later step). It doesn't really matter where your place them, and you could even do a custom job and tape them up to the side of bottom of your case with some velcro or something similar.

How to Install an Optical Drive

Another optional step is installing an optical drive if you have one. Once an essential part of any standard PC build, optical drives are becoming increasingly less important over time with the rise of media being streamed and delivered wirelessly. But if you have one for whatever reason, such as for playing your older games or you want to burn discs, it's a simple process like installing storage drives.

The most common way to install an optical drive is from the front (outside) of your case, and not from inside, so you'll likely have to remove your case's front panel and slide it right into the 5.25 inch bay. The front panel in most cases should pop off with a simple firm tug.

You'll need to match up the holes on the drive to those on the case, and then screw them in (usually four screws). Then you simply connect a SATA cable to the motherboard, routing the cable through any cable management holes on your case where appropriate. Most motherboards have a mix of both SATA2 and SATA3 ports, but most optical drives don't take advantage of SATA3 so you're probably better off plugging it into a SATA2 to free up the 3's for more important things such as storage drives.

How to Build a PC (STEP #7)

How to Install a Video Card

How to Install a GPU

It's finally time to bring the star of the show into action. Your graphics card should be handled with care as it's likely your most expensive component, so take your time with this section.

1: Make Room for the King

Unlike trying to hunt for your case's front panel connectors, locating the PCIe (short for PCI Express) port where your graphics card will fit shouldn't take you more than a split second; it's the large port near the middle of your motherboard. You'll want to make sure the area is well clear of any cables, and that your card is going to fit in nicely without problems such as a Hard Drive cradle getting in the way. With some longer graphics cards, in certain cases you may have to move a cradle around if you haven't already done so earlier to give your card more room to fit comfortably.

2: Remove Bracket/s

Depending on the card, you'll need to remove either the one or two rear brackets on your case by simply unscrewing them (other cases may require you to snap them off).

Unscrew the bracket to make room for your mighty GPU

3: Remove Connector Cover

Now carefully remove your card from its anti-static bag, holding it by its edges. You can touch the fan area, but avoid touching the backside where the electrical bits are. Some cards, like our 1050 Ti, will have a cover on the bottom connector, so if yours does too go ahead and remove it:

Remove the cover covering the bottom socket of your card (if it has one)

4: Unlock the Clip

Like with the RAM, the graphics card port will likely have a clip that you need to unlock before installing the card. However, unlike the RAM clip, on some motherboards (like ours) the PCIe clip may automatically lock back into place when you insert the card.

5: Fit the Graphics Card

Ground yourself by touching a large metal object and carefully lower your graphics card in, firstly aligning it to the back of the case in the proper position, and then carefully inserting the connector into the PCIe socket. Ensure you've lined up the back and the connector of the card properly, and give it a gentle but firm press down from the top of the card until you hear it click into place.

6: Secure the Graphics Card

As mentioned above, on some motherboards the socket's clip may automatically lock back into place when the card is fully inserted. Otherwise you'll need to manually lock the clip. Check from the rear of the case that the HDMI and DVI ports etc are lined up properly. Then re-screw the same screw/s that you removed in step 2 back into the rear of the case to fully secure the card.

7: Optional GPU Steps

If you're installing a high-end graphics card it will probably require a direct power connection from your power supply (either via one or two 6-pin connectors on the top or back edge), but we'll cover that in the upcoming section on installing your power supply. In our example, the 1050 Ti graphics card doesn't require its own power connection and will be automatically powered by the motherboard. Also, if you're installing multiple graphics cards to run in either SLI or CrossFire mode for a super powerful system, go ahead and install your additional card/s now. You can simply repeat the above steps exactly the same way for each card that you have.

How to Build a PC (STEP #8)

Install the PSU and Cable Management Basics

How to Install a Power Supply Unit

Congrats for coming so far; we're almost done and if you're like me you're itching to turn this beast on. Now it's time to install your power supply and connect the cables with cable management in mind. Your case will dictate where your power supply (we'll refer to it as PSU from now on) fits. Some cases, like our Cooler Master N200, have the PSU mount on the bottom of the case. Others will mount the PSU on the top.

1: Check Rubber Feet

Firstly, check for the presence of little rubber feet on the bottom of your case (for bottom PSU-mounted cases). Many modern cases have this feature to help reduce the effects of any vibration to lower noise. If your case has them, like ours, they'll likely already be installed, but if not then check if your case provided you with some. If so, fit them in. If not, you could always buy some small self-adhesive rubber pads from your local stationary store if you wanted to.

Rubber feet installed? Check

2: Fit the PSU

Fitting your PSU on the bottom of a case may be easier if you sit your case upright. Position the PSU either in the bottom or the top of the case where it belongs, with the power socket and power switch facing out the back of the case and the cabling facing into the case.

Slot your PSU into your case

Line up the screw holes on the back of the case (there should be four or more), and while holding the PSU in place go ahead and screw them in with the screws that should have been provided with your PSU. Otherwise you can use screws provided by the case.

Securely screw in your PSU.

Connecting Cables & Cable Management

Now that the PSU (power supply) is firmly in place, it's time to connect all of the power cables. As you do so, you'll want to try and thread them through any available cable management holes where possible as you go along to keep things neat and help airflow within your case. You could always come back to managing your cables later on after you've successfully booted up, or in a few days time when you can be bothered, but it's generally a good idea to get it out of the way on your first go.

Connecting the PSU cables is straightforward, but before plugging anything in you want to be sure you're inserting the pins the right way round by analysing the patterns on the underside of the connectors and matching them to the patterns on the ports you plug them into. If you have a modular power supply, you'll want to only use the cables that you need, and set aside any unused cables somewhere safely such as your PSU packaging. Oh, and as always, at risk of sounding like a broken record remember to ground yourself regularly during this process, especially if you're not wearing an anti-static strap. Better safe than sorry.

One last thing before we start plugging things in. If you're working with a large case and some of the PSU connectors don't reach, or are missing altogether, you can buy extensions and/or adapters.

1: The 20+4 Pin Connector

The biggest connector on your PSU will be the 20+4 main power connector which plugs into your motherboard power socket. Most motherboards will require the full 24 pins, while others may only need the 20 pin part. Double check with your motherboard if you're not sure if you should use 20 or 24 pins, but you should easily be able to find the corresponding socket on your motherboard. It's labelled in small writing on your motherboard as “ATX_PWR1” on ours. Go ahead and plug this bad boy in by carefully lining up the pins the correct way round and giving it a firm push in; hold your motherboard while you do this so you're not putting too much force on your board as you plug it in all the way.

2: The 4+4 Pin Connector

This connection is to power your CPU and will also plug into your motherboard, likely near the top of the CPU somewhere. Most modern motherboards will require the full 8 pins to be plugged in, but some may need just 4. If that's the case just plug in either of the two 4 pin headers. Line up the pins carefully, hold the motherboard, and press them firmly into place.

3: The PCIe 6 Pin Connector/s

Many modern graphics cards will require their own dedicated power connection via either the one PCIe 6 pin connection from the PSU, or two. It should actually be an 8 pin, with 6 and a separate 2, as some cards will require 8 pins. Our graphics card isn't a monster of a card, and draws power from the motherboard so there's nothing for us to do here. However, your card may require power, so go ahead and plug the 6 pin connector/s into the top of your graphics card if you need to. In the odd case that your PSU doesn't have these connectors, and you need them for your card, some graphics cards come with a Molex to PCI-E adapter which you could use instead.

4: The SATA Connectors

Not to be confused with the SATA data transfer cables that you should have plugged into your storage drives earlier (and that should have come with your motherboard), these SATA connectors on your PSU also plug into your storage drives (and/or optical drives if you have any) to provide them the power they need. If you have a ton of drives and your PSU doesn't have enough SATA power cables to connect them all, you can get a Molex to SATA adapter.

5: The Molex Connectors (and connect case fans)

Molex connectors have had their day and have been almost completely replaced by SATA connectors, however you may still need to use them. For our build, because we can't plug in our case fans into our motherboard (which you may be able to do on your system), we'll connect the case fans into a couple of these Molex connectors. So go ahead and connect your case fans if this applies to you. The downside of having case fans connected to your PSU directly is that you have no control over them and they'll always run at 100%.

Being able to plug fans directly into the motherboard (if your board supports it) allows you to use software to control how fast the fans spin. You probably don't need to worry about this, but it's just something to keep in mind. Sometimes fans can be louder than you like and you'll want to adjust their settings. If you don't need Molex connectors, and you're using a modular PSU, simply keep them in your PSU packaging, otherwise you'll have to tuck them into your case somewhere. Another thing I'll say about Molex connectors is that they sometimes need a real firm push to connect, so don't be afraid of using a little force with them.

Step 6: Cable Management Basics

It may seem that whether your take the time to tidy up your PSU cables or not is down to personal preference, however cable management is important for the overall well-being and life of your system so it's highly recommended you at least do something even if just the basics. The amount of cable management options you have and exactly how you should proceed with them will greatly depend on the specific case that you have, but here we'll give you some basic guidelines.

The first thing you should look to do, which you perhaps have already done if you carefully followed the instructions earlier, is thread any of the PSU cables you're using through any available holes on the rear side of your case. Most cases should have a gap between the rear side panel and the frame of the case where cables can lay out of the way and out of sight. When doing this make sure you're still able to replace the side panel afterwards though, and be careful not to damage any cables when reapplying the side panel.

It doesn't matter too much how you run the cables behind your motherboard, but it's a good idea to group them together in a bundle if you can using plastic ties or a twist of plastic-coated wire. Some cases go the extra mile with this and will have quick release cable ties and small lugs built-in to the back of the case to attach them to.

As you're doing any cable management, keep airflow in mind and try not to cover your coolers or case fans with cables if possible. If your case doesn't have too many options for cable management, don't worry too much, but do your best to make do with what you have. As mentioned, there's no one way to manage your cables as every case and setup is different, but in general you want to aim to have your cables running in a single direction, and not all clumped up in a messy heap. Tie up cables together in a bundle and position them against the side panel if you can.

How to Build a PC (STEP #9)

How to Do a Successful First-Boot

It's almost time for the moment of truth! If you've applied all the previous steps, we're just minutes away from starting up your machine for the first exciting time, but there are a few quick checks to get out of the way first to ensure a successful first-boot.

First-Boot Check 1: Check Component Connections

You'll first want to double check all your components are all still inserted all the way into their slots and firmly held in place via screws and/or their socket clips. It's unlikely, but during the installation of your motherboard into the case or while you plugged in all the power cables into the motherboard, a component may have accidentally been moved around a little or disconnected if it wasn't properly fitted and/or screwed in.

Loose screws may lead to a component being loosed in its motherboard socket, so it's worth double checking now. Remember not to tighten screws too far; just turn them a fraction more than when they feel tight. Go ahead and check your CPU cooler, memory module/s, graphics card/s, and any other components you have in your motherboard.

First-Boot Check 2: Check Front Panel Connections

Double check the front panel connections that you plugged in earlier in the building process, as there is the chance something may have become loose during later steps. While you're at it, double check all of your power supply cables are firmly plugged into place.

First-Boot Check 3: Connect Your Peripherals

Ok, it's time to connect up your peripherals so that you can see what happens on-screen when you first boot-up, and so that you can proceed with installation should your PC start up properly the first time. Keyboard and mouse should plug into any USB ports; ideally you'll want to plug them in the back of your PC to keep your front ports available. Older keyboards and mice will plug into the PS/2 connections instead, also on the back of your PC.

Depending on the monitor, you will either need just the video cable (either HDMI, DVI, DP or VGA) from the back of the monitor into the back of your graphics card (not your motherboard), or you'll need both a video cable and a dedicated power cable connection from the back of your monitor into a wall socket. If you have a set of speakers or using a headset, you can plug these in now if you want to. Same with your network connection; an Ethernet cable will plug from the back of your PC to your router, or if you're using a wireless dongle then plug that into the back.

First-Boot Check 4: Turn On Power Supply

Replace your rear side panel if you haven't already done so. However, keep the main side panel off for the time being so you can see what's going on when you boot-up in the next step. Then plug in the main power cable (supplied by your power supply) from the back of your power supply to a wall socket if you haven't already done so, and make sure the socket is turned on. Now, turn on the switch on the back of your power supply, and turn on your monitor.

First-Boot Check 5: Awaken the Beast

You now have everything ready to go, so it's time to press the On button on the front of your case. You should hear the fans start up, see a light on your PC and on your motherboard (some boards may not have a light though), and something should show up on your monitor (make sure the monitor is turned on). Look inside your case to check your case fans and CPU fan is spinning. Note that your graphics card fan/s may not spin unless they're needed so don't worry if that one is not spinning at the moment.

Lights come on and you hear the fans spinning? Mission accomplished.

If everything seems to be working, replace your side panel as you shouldn't run your PC without both panels in place for too long as it affects airflow. Pat yourself on the back for your efforts - you've successfully built your first custom PC. Wasn't as hard as you may have imagined, right?

If there's no response when you turn on your PC, or something seems to be wrong, you're going to have to track back over your steps to see whether you missed something, didn't connect something properly, or to find another issue. Worst case is that a component isn't working and you can simply return it for a replacement.

Don't get down on yourself or freak out if your gaming computer doesn't turn on, as it could be something very simple that you either missed or that you can quickly rectify, and you should be up and running in no time. See thetroubleshooting new PC builds guide to learn how to find and fix common first-boot problems.

But hopefully you'll have successfully booted your computer and all is well, which means it's time to now go ahead and install your operating system which is simply a matter of following the on-screen step so even if you're a complete beginner you won't have a problem with OS installation. After that you may wish to install some extra programs, and we have a guide to some good software to install on new gaming PCs.

Welcome to a New Level of PC Gaming

If you've read this far, congrats. Welcome the wonderful world of DIY PC gaming where smart PC gamers, aspiring and current pro gamers/streamers, and hardware enthusiasts who take full advantage of every new build or upgrade they make to their gaming setup by being more in-the-know tech consumers who tweak their PCs for the best possible versatile long-lasting powerful setup for their budget.

Once a builder, always a builder, and you'll find that over your entire gaming career/hobby (whether you play competitively or casually) your wallet and sanity will thank you for building your own customized systems from now on.

Why sanity? Let's put it this way: in a fast-paced competitive game where a fraction of a millisecond of added Jedi-like reaction time can mean the difference between winning and losing, any slowdowns coming from your PC setup that gets in the way of you being as on-point as possible is a frustrating pill to swallow. And unfortunately, every time you play CSGO or Overwatch with less than 60FPS, somewhere an innocent kitten dies.

Absurdly bad jokes aside, we genuinely hope this PC installation walkthrough has helped you in some way. After going through the PC build steps above and having finished your first computer build, you know have the knowledge, skill and confidence to build/upgrade your own gaming PCs - for life.

If you have any feedback, comments, questions or constructive criticism on how to improve the guide, do let us know here. With every iteration of all the guides here on the site, we try and make it 5% better with every periodical update made, so we're always open to hearing feedback and understanding what our readers, YOU, would prefer and find better, more helpful and more convenient.

Thanks, enjoy and good luck with your build, and be sure to stop by BGC again the next time you build or upgrade a lethal gaming system. We'll quickly get you back upto-speed again as a PC builder on everything important that you might have missed in the ever-evolving hardware market since you were away. We've got your back, now and forever. Or at least until the robots take over.